The document summarizes a needs assessment conducted for a regional council's workplace wellness initiatives. It found that the top health issues for employees were unhealthy eating, physical inactivity, and prolonged sitting. A survey found support for initiatives like fresh fruit, health information sessions, and discounted gym memberships. Recommendations included forming a steering committee, conducting further assessments, implementing short-term initiatives, and developing a long-term health strategy and policy. Barriers noted were misconceptions about workplace health and reluctance to change.

1. Workplace Wellness-
A holistic approach

2. OVERVIEW
• Maranoa Regional Council - Profile
• Current Workplace Wellness
Initiatives
• Needs Assessment – Phase One
• What we plan to do in the future
• Barriers
• Summary

3. Guiding principles around staff culture:
Work together to create a safe, happy and supportive workplace
Be sensitive to and respectful of individuals
Take pride in our work
MARANOA REGIONAL COUNCIL
Our Vision

4. Employees – 439 staff
Full-time – 80%
Indoor staff – 55%
Indoor worker demographic -75% female
Outdoor staff – 45%
Outdoor worker demographic – 99% male
WHS initiatives:
Safety Newsletters
Tool Box Talks
Flu Vaccination Program
Switch onto Safety training – whole of organisation
Employee Assistance Program
MARANOA REGIONAL COUNCIL
Workplace Health and Safety (WHS), Humans Resources (HR) &
Be Healthy and Safe Maranoa (BHSM)

5. Recruitment and Selection
Right Fit – physical, mental and emotional
Clarity of roles – Position Description Review
Team Building and Coaching
CEO Blog
Management Performance Training
Reward and Recognition
Share a Thanks – Intranet Posts
My Maranoa Medal – nominated and selected by employees
Supporting Career Pathways – mini secondments
HUMAN RESOURCES
INITIATIVES

6. Policy Development
Mental Health and Wellbeing Handbook
Managers Handbook: Conduct and Performance in the Workplace
Guidelines for Pregnancy at Work and Maternity leave
HUMAN RESOURCES
INITIATIVES Continued….

7. Physical activity programs:
Staff discounts for Gym Membership
Cooking and Nutrition Workshops
Maternal and Infant Nutrition Workshops
Workplace Wellness:
Resources – smoking cessation, exercise, nutrition and mental health
Healthy catering guidelines
Health checks
Staff surveys
Needs Assessment – Phase One Completed
BE HEALTHY AND SAFE MARANOA
INITIATIVES

8. Literature Review - Health and Wellbeing Programs and Strategies
implemented in Australian Workplaces
Staff-wide Survey - Identify ‘felt needs’ of MRC Workforce
Environmental and Policy audits – Assess environmental
structures to support healthy behaviours amongst staff to determine
policies
Results will formulate recommendations for PHASE 2: Workplace
Wellness Program Implementation
NEEDS ASSESSMENT: PHASE 1

9. LITERATURE REVIEW

10. Worksafe Queensland - Worker Interest Survey
MRC Survey:
Determine which health behaviours were a concern to employees
What workplace initiatives would they be interested in participating
Demographics
BHSM initiative
Barriers to change
Total hours spent sitting whilst at work
Relevant to indoor and outdoor staff
Preferred method of communication
Email
Manager / Supervisor
Staff intranet
Tool box meetings
MRC EMPLOYEE SURVEY

11. Queensland Health - Healthier. Happier. Workplaces
ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT TOOL & POLICY AUDIT
Does the workplace provide?
Physicalactivity
On site gym/recreational facilities
 Including access to parks/walking areas, basketball/tennis court
 Indoor facilities (yoga, table tennis)
Showers/ change room facilities
Clear stairwells for employee use (if applicable)
Standing work stations
Lockable storage areas in safe/convenient locations
Bike racks
Information/promotional materials about physical activity (posters,
email reminders)
Nutrition
Access to healthy food options
 Canteens
 Local shops
 Food vans
 Vending machines
Access to drinking water
Employee dining/break room
Kitchen equipment available
 Fridge
 Microwave
 Cutlery
 Toaster/sandwich press
Motivational material for healthy food choices in food prep/ eating
areas
Sun
safet
y
Shaded areas for outdoor staff
 To utilise for work
 Rest/meal breaks
No smoking signs displayed
Other
Mothers room (breastfeeding/expressing etc)
Other:

12. Of the 439 staff employed at the MRC, 181 (41%) participated in the
survey!
Top behaviour changes wanted by indoor and outdoor staff:
Unhealthy Eating
Physical Inactivity
Prolonged periods of sitting
Top initiatives wanted by indoor staff:
Fresh fruit supplied
Information sessions on healthy eating
Discounted gym memberships
Top initiatives wanted by outdoor staff:
Information sessions on healthy eating, exercise, quitting
smoking and mental health
Health Checks
NEEDS ASSESSMENT – OUR RESULTS

13. Recommendation One
Develop a Project Steering
Committee to guide and
oversee the MRC Health and
Wellbeing Program.
• Identify members to form steering
committee/project taskforce.
• Direct and oversee program
development.
• Conduct regular meetings to
discuss identified barriers,
enablers, success and
sustainability of interventions.
MRC Steering Committee
i. Community Services Manager
ii. Be Healthy and Safe Maranoa
iii. Workplace Health and Safety
iv. Human Resources Manager

14. Recommendation Two
Conduct further assessment of
MRC organisational capacity
Develop understanding of staff structure:
i. Conduct stakeholder analysis
ii. Identify project partners
iii. Identify worksite ‘champions’ to assist in site-specific implementation
and liaise with steering committee to ensure programs are appropriate
to the type of worksite.
Investigate funding availability:
i. Internal funding from Council
ii. External government grants

15. Recommendation Three
Undergo a Feasibility Study of Interventions
for MRC Health and Wellbeing Program
Short Term:
 Ensure adequate no smoking signage in all facilities,
 Develop email/newsletter to communicate health messages,
 Conduct review of catering guidelines; and
 Develop workplace weight reduction initiative and physical activity/sitting
reduction initiatives such as standing/walking meetings.
Long Term:
 Upskilling of managerial staff to support other employees with regard to health
issues, including utilisation of key resources and referral of staff to appropriate
external services (for example, mental health, stress, alcohol/drug use); and
 Development of fresh produce initiatives to increase fruit and vegetable
consumption whilst at work, investigation into standing work stations.

16. Recommendation Four
Develop a MRC Health and Wellbeing Strategy, Policy and
Charter
a. Creation of overarching policy to incorporate policies governing aspects of
health and wellbeing,
b. Liaise with Universities for Nutrition and Dietetics placements for the
development of health and wellbeing policy for MRC,
c. Develop an overarching employee survey to incorporate staff culture with
healthy behaviours; and
d. Monitor, evaluate and communicate to Council, Staff and Community.

17. Barriers
 Misconception that workplace
health is all about physical
safety.
 Misconception that health
prevention and promotion is
only a State and Federal
government role.
 Reluctance to change.
 Limited support within the
organisation including at the
leadership level

18. Summary
Invest time in:
 Collecting intelligence
 Consultation and let feedback dictate
 Building trust within your organisation
 Building capacity within your workplace
 Monitor, evaluate and communicate
Use the support you have….

19. Thank you for listening!